KTM 800 Duke with parallel twin engine caught testing

The spy picture of the upcoming KTM 800 Duke test bike (mostly likely to be called the 890 Duke) has inverted WP forks, twin front discs with steel braided lines and ABS which will be standard in order to comply with the new Euro-4 norms. It also comes with an alloy swing-arm that is double sided and a high-swept exhaust which reminds one of the old two-stroke GP bike exhausts. A small wind screen and the typically sharp styling of the Duke range is also visible on the KTM 800 Duke test bike.

The new KTM Duke 800 will most likely be called the 890 Duke in line with the naming tradition of the range. The steel trellis frame is likely to be painted a contrasting colour, and the bike itself will sit above the 690 Duke but below the full bore 1290 Duke. The styling is similar to the 690 Duke and also in fact close to the recently spotted 125/390 Duke test mules. The KTM 800 Duke is expected to arrive in 2017 with it being announced later this year.

KTM CEO Stefan Pierer had revealed that the Austrian motorcycle manufacturer had initiated the development of a 500cc and a 800cc parallel-twin engine in order to offer intermediate displacement models way back in 2014. The new engines would be used in production models in the next three years and would be manufactured in India. The rationale behind manufacturing in India is to both cater to the Indian market and to avoid the high import duties that are levied on imported motorcycles and parts. For instance models such as the 690 Duke and 690 SMC are currently not sold in India due to high price tag that would result from the import costs that will be imposed on top of the cost of the motorcycle.

Not to mention, there will be significant savings in terms of manufacturing costs and KTM will be able to offer the new bikes at a price so attractive that they will be able to sell large numbers, garner market share and quickly dominate the segment. The Duke 125, Duke 200, Duke 390, RC200 and RC390 models are currently made in India and there is a high possibility of off-road models of the same displacements being produced later on, sharing the same platform. An adventure tourer with a larger tank and also based on the same platform is also likely to be produced soon.